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Hello everyone, and yes, I realized this post is probably long overdue. I have been leery of sharing too much information because to be honest, things change almost hourly and I’m afraid of giving facts that may change tomorrow or dates that I can’t promise. So I’m going to give you a few very small details and when I feel I have some more concrete pieces of information to offer I will definitely do so.

First, I’d like for you to meet Kelly and Ana.

Ana {on the right} is my agent and Kelly is her right hand woman… and the two of them are working very hard to properly handle this manufactured process for me. I was so excited to meet Ana, as she lives one hour away from me and her close proximity has made this process so great. I will give you more info on them in a month or so as well, as I’d like for you to get to know them better…but for now I’ll just give you a small introduction to them.

Ana and Kelly have held my hand through this whole manufacturing process. The normal turnaround time for a manufactured goods to appear on your door step is 60-90 days. I say normal because normal is what most large production companies operate on. And this what I was told would by my turnaround time…before Ana and Kelly realized what exactly I had to give them to manufacture.

Since most of you have probably never mass produced anything before, you are probably as clueless about this whole thing like I was. I had no idea that when you mass produce an item, you need to have EXACTLY what you want produced: which means color swatches, fabric swatches, size runs, tag samples, hang tag samples, packaging instructions, and a whole slew of other essentials. You also have to be willing to bargain as every single one of those essentials gets torn apart into a price bracket, which you have to negotiate over. And you have to be willing to wait several weeks between each sample review and rerun before you can go back to the drawing board and approve. {Am I exhausting you all yet? Because I’m exhausted} Most large companies have computer programs, educated mathematical designers, and trained pattern makers to make sure their items have all this information prior to submitting to a manufacturer so all they have to do is approve a first round of “protos” and their items is on it’s way.

Well, since I had no idea about this process, I thought I could send our items to the factory, with a note on the changes and wah-lah…my items would be on my doorstep in 90 days. HA! Oh boy that was a joke. Can I please say something really loudly for everyone to hear?

I am so sorry I ever put a date out there of when our items would arrive. VERY, VERY sorry!

I have learned my lesson and will never promise anything like that again. I really had no idea everything would take as long as it has. Since I have gone through this, I have counseled with many friends who have manufactured and everyone says the same thing about it: it takes 6-9 months your first time to get anything in your hands. Oh boy, this is so on track for me, and has been my number one frustration with this whole process. I talk a little about my disappointment HERE and HERE. If you read this post, you may wonder what one of my frustrations are currently and well, this manufacturing process is definitely one of them. I am not lying when I tell you I wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweats…wondering if things will ever get here, have I chosen the right styles, colors, fabric…will people buy? Will people hate it? Will I be able to make enough money to survive. We have put everything we have into this…will it fail? The biggest thing that stresses me out is when I get aggressive emails from customers wondering why they can’t use the 50% off coupon codes and telling me that they feel too much time has elapsed since they purchased items during the Save Evy’s Tree campaign.

Oh friends, I say this will tears in my eyes…I understand, and I agree.

I wish I could allow you to use the 50% coupons on the handmade goods, but if I did that I would have to close up shop immediately because 50% off handmade goods is less than cost most of the time. It would kill us. And I have to keep producing handmade items to keep this thing afloat until the manufactured goods are here because otherwise I wouldn’t have any income to keep this going. I’m kinda stuck in the middle and no one is more worried about it than me.

So where are we at with the manufactured goods at this point? Right now, we are hoping to have items here early summer to be available for Fall 2013 lines for brick and mortar stores. I refuse to promise or guarantee a date. But I will promise you we are getting close to production. I did receive my final round of samples two weeks ago and the fit is amazing. I’m so excited about them. We are finalizing our fabric weave this weekend, and our color dips, hang tags, product tags and embellishments have already been approved. Once the fabric is approved, our items can FINALLY go into production, I hope to do this tomorrow. YEEHAW!! we are getting so close!

While our items are in production I am trying very hard to take a trip to the factory to meet my seamstresses and pattern makers who have worked so hard on these items. Since I don’t have a professional pattern maker on staff, I have had to use the factory’s and they have been SO WONDERFUL and patient with me. And let me say this about Kelly…we were in production a month ago with fabric {which means we had approved a blend and it was being produced at the fabric mill} but when Kelly went to put the fabric sample through a test, she found it balled up in some high traffic areas, so she stopped the entire production. This is the type of people I am working with…very, very thorough. They understand we are producing a high end luxury piece and want the pieces to stand the test of time, and they have become emotionally invested in these items to ensure high quality. We hope you have them forever and that they wash amazingly…and become your favorite item in your closet. {Oh, psst… Kelly and Ana have worked with some VERY HIGH END clothing and hoodie companies. I won’t name drop, but feel free to guess. Yup, they have worked with them. They are that good :)}

Anyway, when I make a trip to the factory, I will tell you more info about the people, the factory in general, etc. So please hold all questions until then.

In closing, I want to talk a little about how Evy’s Tree will transition to manufactured goods…first I hope to have a handmade line for a long time, but we will rely more heavy on it in the beginning and then slowly taper to it being small uploads every now and then, if we can keep the sales up to make it worth our while. Also, we are starting out manufacturing very basic items…and then we will hopefully get more elaborate with each season. Right now we are manufacturing four styles: The Simple, The Lacey Zip Up,{both the simple and the lacey will come in one, maybe two fun color ways, not black, navy, etc.} the Pink Polka Dot Brilla and a new style called The Lizzy. If I can do good on selling these, I may be able to order a few more styles to include in our Fall 2013 line. The fabric, the fit, the feel, the colors..they will all be so different than our current handmade items. They will be LUXURY! Seriously, they are amazing. I’m so excited.

I tell you this because we have a lot of people asking what will arrive and I want to make sure everyone knows that there will NOT be at this time any Diana Wraps, Grace Wraps or any other brillas except for the pink polka dot, which will hopefully always be a staple in our line. As I said, I hope to have a lot in the future, but we do have to start small, as this is a huge expensive venture and we can’t afford to do more than a little at first. So if you see something handmade that you love, please note that most likely we will not be manufacturing it at this time and please don’t let that stop you from purchasing.

I hope this answers some of your questions. I’m so very sorry things aren’t moving faster. I wish I could change things, but I have done the very best I could. Please hang in there with us…and please hold onto those coupons for the 50% off…they will be valid very soon and I want to make sure that everyone who helped us during Save Evy’s Tree gets a reward for it. You guys are awesome and I love you so much.

PS…I have a tour of Evy’s room coming tomorrow, Jake’s the next day and hopefully a studio tour the end of the week. Then I’ll finish up my house goals. Excited to tell you what we’ve finished and what we plan to do this year.

Oh you guys. You blow my mind. All your kindness and love you showed me after I bore my heart a little yesterday… you’re awesome. Yesterday’s post was one of the most viewed posts of all year, so I guess it’s pretty safe to say you guys don’t mind an honest post every now and then. {whew} Guess that just means I have to be brave and fess up every now and then.

So thank you everyone for being so great. We’re in this together and I’m glad that we can encourage each other. Love you guys.

I get countless requests for this one and so very many people have pinned this one on pinterest, too. I know, it’s pretty awesome! So here’s how this is going to work….

We are going to try something new. I want to make sure everyone gets what size they want, so tomorrow night once the hoodie is live:

1. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET THE ITEM IN YOUR CART!! And then once you are popped over to paypal, there is a note to seller section…

2. WRITE THE SIZE YOU DESIRE in the notes to seller. Our sizes are listed in the listing, so make sure you study it tomorrow before they go live and you know what size you want.

I’m hoping this gives everyone a chance to snag one. I don’t have unlimited amounts, but I do have quite a few so we should be able to cover most of you. Just don’t hate me if it sells out faster than I think!!

Lastly…do you get our email blasts? Because there will be a discount code sent out tomorrow morning, so make sure you subscribe! If you don’t subscribe head over here

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And find where it says “Get the Evy’s Tree Newsletter” and enter in your info. Wahlah! that’s it!

I’ve had a few disappointments lately. I thought, since I haven’t really had a “heart post” lately, I’d tell you about them. Or not really ABOUT them, per se, since they are very personal, but about how I am feeling about them, I guess.

You know, I am normally very open and honest on this blog. Very transparent. No, I don’t tell you everything, but I don’t hide from much either. And sure there are times when I probably make things sound like they are ok, but they really aren’t…because who really wants to hear a person’s junk all the time? Lately I’ve been questioning the point of really telling you how I feel. For many reasons, I guess. Recently, twice in the same week I had people on social media criticize me for “complaining”. One even said, “I can think of worse things”. Hmm. So could I. But those worse things aren’t happening to me. THIS is. And this is hard. It hurts. And yes, I’m not stupid. I understand there could be A LOT worse things. A gazillion worse things. But let’s be honest…disappointment is disappointment. No matter what the magnitude. And it hurts, big or little.

So I’m leery of sharing.

Since I haven’t been sharing too much about feelings, I’ve filled the gap with food, shop and house posts. BUT….the last couple days the Lord has dealt with me about this. Because this blog isn’t really about my house, or my business, or my food…it’s about LIFE. And life stinks sometimes. It does. It really, really stinks. Life is good the majority of the time. And we’re all VERY good about telling about the good, right? We show off our new homes, our new cars, our new clothes. We brag about our beautiful kids {oh my word, I adore my kids, I could go on and on}. We tell about all our blessings…and we SHOULD. Because blessings are fun, and exciting and a testimony of God’s love. But the stinky part of life…well, it’s hard to talk about.

One thing I have noticed is this…when you are going through a hard time, it is SO HARD to rejoice with them who rejoice. Sometimes, instead of clapping your hands, smiling and congratulating, you want to turn your nose up in disgust and walk away because your blessing is no where to be found. Let’s talk about this…it’s truth, am I right?

And sometimes, it’s really easy to look at someone else who seemingly has an “easy” problem, shake your head at them, roll your eyes, and say, “it could be worse”. I know. Because I’ve done it. Many times in fact. To people I love. I get it.

So what’s my point….

Well, I’ve had some disappointments the last couple weeks. I’m not going to tell you too much about them, because I try not to dwell on things that I know God can change…but there have been some big things that I have sat down and said, “WHY GOD?!? I thought you promised me this?” And there has been a lot of questioning…of me, my family, my purpose. Everything. Questioning where I am, what I’m doing. Questioning.

And then it hit me. We are going to question. We are going to wonder why. We are going to feel moments of disappointment. On both big and small scales. But I want you and the whole world to hear me shout:

I AM STILL HERE.

I’m putting on my boxing gloves and I’m going to do this. Because disappointment doesn’t have to be crippling. It can be empowering. It can fuel the fight. So even though I look back and wish I hadn’t done this, or I had done that…it doesn’t matter. Because I’m HERE and I’m not backing down. I’ve got God on my side and I will finish this race. Family problems, money problems, job issues, kid issues, health issues, LIFE issues….it doesn’t matter. Disappointment in all those areas may come, but I’ve got my gloves on. And I’m fighting. I hope you are too.

And just a little 411…you may hear me “complain” on this blog. But let me make this perfectly clear and set the record straight… VENTING is not always COMPLAINING. Complaining is laying down and thinking there is no way up. Venting is getting your frustration off your chest and then rising to the occasion. So I’m not sure where you place yourself here, but I place myself in the venting category. Because, I personally feel, we all need to do it, perhaps not publicly like I am doing…but this blog is a place where I feel God has opened a door for me to reach out to those of you who are feeling frustrated too. With that said, I also feel God has called me to share HOPE. And that’s what I will keep doing. I will keep sharing my venting {minimally of course} and most of all…sharing HOPE. Because we have it. Yes we do. In the words of Toby Mac…

“We lose our way,We get back up againIt’s never too late to get back up again,One day you will shine again,You may be knocked down,But not out forever,Lose our way,We get back up again,So get up, get up,You gonna shine again,Never too late to get back up again,You may be knocked down,But not out forever”

Love you friends. I’m praying for you. Psalm 102 has been what I am meditating on. Amazing and powerful. Take time to read if you are feeling some disappointments. “You will arise and have compassion….” {vs 13}. POWERFUL.

Oh friends. Wow. I can’t even express to you how excited I am today. Our first ever video is now up and ready for viewing. What’s it about you ask? Well…us. As a business. What we are all about. And its about the people who buy Evy’s Tree, and why they love it.

I can’t be more thrilled with how it turned out. I think it adequately displays the heart behind Evy’s Tree {even though I can’t STAND how I sound or look in it. ha}. You’ll get to hear me talk…and walk, and do weird things with my face. ha. But seriously, I think you’ll see my vision with the company and I love it.

It’s all because of you guys. I hope that comes across. We do this for you. If you don’t have an Evy’s Tree hoodie/wrap, I encourage you to watch the video and then hop on over to the shop and shop around. I’m sure you’ll find something you love AND…you can still get that FREE Gussy Sews item. Oh and guess what? I think there is still free shipping going on right now with the code JUSTBECAUSE. But don’t tell the management I told you so. ha.

If you DO have an Evy’s Tree item… THANK YOU. We love you so much. Please feel free to use this video to share our company with your friends. I hope it touches you as much as it touched us when we first saw it. We love and appreciate you.

Happy Saturday everyone! I have something super exciting to tell you about… Thanks to Calleija Jewelers, Forty Toes Photography, Tout Mon Amour and a bunch of pretty cool sponsors {which I am one of :)}, you have an opportunity to win get this:

$10,000 to Calleija jewelers!

I’m not a huge jewelry person, in fact I only wear a wedding ring, but I DO remember what it was like about to get engaged and wondering what kind of ring I would get. I don’t know about you, but $10,000 was most definitely NOT in our price range! I would think this would be so cool for an engaged couple to win…or anyone for that matter.

Feel free to read all the info below, and then you can enter at the end with the rafflecopter widget. Have fun everyone! xoxo

Welcome to our giveaway and the world of ‘Calleija’…where beauty, colour and fantastic design rewrite the rule book. The art of creating Calleija jewellery begins with the perfect gem, personally selected by Award Winning Designer John Calleija. The creative journey with their clients results in unique and individual works of art, each one a masterpiece of original design and exceptional workmanship. Calleija’s master jewellers twirl and interweave gleaming, precious metals and gemstones into rare designs of great beauty and dimension. Their ethos is simple…to focus on the very best there is, delivering exceptional quality, service and design innovation that reflects in every facet of their business.

Calleija specialises in Argyle Pink Diamond creations in many of their designs and as one of only a handful of Argyle Pink Diamond Arteliers across the world, is recognised for their mesmerising and unrivalled collection of pink diamond jewellery.

Calleija Fine Jewellery is synonymous with the beautiful and the exceptional. Calleija is committed to transforming the rarest gems into incredible works of art.

With thanks to Calleija and some lovely sponsors, we have an offer of $10,000 to spend at Calleija, or if the winner prefers, they may have a custom piece/s designed to their individual specifications to the value of $10,000.

This is truly a wonderful prize and one that I am delighted to be able to offer. On behalf of Calleija, Tout Mon Amour and our generous sponsors, I welcome you to the ‘Ultimate Calleija giveaway!

To gain entry for a chance to win $10,000 to spend on anything your heart desires (to that value) at Calleija you need to like ALL our generous sponsors on Facebook, via Rafflecopter just below this text. This will provide you with your ‘mandatory’ entries to be eligible to win this amazing prize!

We have on offer ‘bonus’ entries to improve your chances to win!!Once you have completed your mandatory entries, you can receive 1 additional entry by browsing the Calleija range at their store here and telling me here what your favorite, or ‘wish’ item from Calleija is! Once you have completed this step confirm via Rafflecopter below.

You can also choose to share this exciting giveaway with your friends and family to receive an additional 3 entries per day for 10 days, to drastically improve your chances to win!To share and obtain your additional 3 entries click here and ‘public’ share this image via Facebook (it must be shared as public as we do need to be able to verify it) and type in your status by ‘tagging’ Calleija…‘Come and enter this amazing giveaway to win a $10,000 Gift Certificate to spend at ‘Calleija Jewellery’!Complete this option and again confirm via Rafflecopter below…AND remember you can do this each day to gain a total of 33 bonus entries for this step!!

This giveaway is open to those that are 18 years and older and you can live anywhere in the world! Entry via ‘fake’ Facebook profiles is prohibited and we reserve the right to request identification should we feel it necessary to confirm the eligibility of our winner. Our giveaway commences now with final entries to be received by Monday 11 March 2013 at 8.30pm Queensland time.